Apparatus for washing coal and the like



G. R. DELAMATER.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, I914. 1,332,814. Patented Mar.2,1920.

3 SHEETS SHEET 1.

N e A; A:

I: amento'a G. R. DELAMATER.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-11,1914.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N\ QQ as h w\ NM \N w w F m 0 N U QM M v. NN RN m\ a RS W N X Smear V601, 66076 7?,Ja/0/mzer 33, inn m (human; 7

G. R. DELAMATER.

APPARATUS FOR'WASHING COAL AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-11,1914.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

awe/whoa al ke/nag UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. DELAMA'IER, or HADDON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR ro PENNSYL- VANIA CRUSHER COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A con-Bonnie OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed Marchil, 1914. Serial No. 823,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. DELAMATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haddon Heights, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for /Vashing Coal and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, relates to an apparatus chiefly designed for washing ore to separate the values from the wastes by means of a running body of water, to which a pulsating movement is given, flowing through the material to be separated, and causing separation of the materials according to their different specific gravities. ll will, therefore, for purpose of illustration, describe the invention as a coal washing machine, without, however, intending thereby to limit the invention thereto, as I claim it for all the uses for which it is applicable.

One object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of this kind an improved jig upon one end of which the material to be separated is continuously fed and, through a pulsating, movement of the water, caused to spread over said jig toward the other end during which movement the heavier refuse portions of the mass gravitate to the bottom of the bed of material forcing the lighter parts, that is coal, to the top to be finally washed with the overflow water out of the jig over an overflow board. The heavier elements in the jig at the bottom of the bed escape below said overflow board through a refuse sealed passage or gateway and are discharged on a lower plane.

Another object of the invention. is directed to the novel arrangement of the discharge side of the apparatus which is provided with a still-water chamber to receive the heavier refuse matters thatpass below the overflow board and guide such matters out of the apparatus by a different route from that followed by the coal.

A still further object of the invention resides in the plunger for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water flowing through the bed. This plunger, preferably situated within the tank, is arranged to move to and from the jig and comprises a skeleton frame supporting a perforated-diaphragm which may or may not be provided with upwardly opening valves. The diaphragm is removably carried by the plunger frame and may be easily and quickly withdrawn therefrom for repairs and other causes through an opening in the side of the tank normally sealed by a water-tight closure. The invention also has for its object to provide a novel jig screen and a novel valveless plunger.

With these as the principal objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a. vertical, central section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the apparatus from the discharge end.

Fig. 4c is a detail section view, enlarged on the line 4.et of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the plunger modiu'ed to show the use of valves therein.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, 8 indicates the body of the apparatus containing a tank 10 here shown as of rectangular shape, but which may be of any other form desired or suitable for the purpose. The tank 10 is mounted on a rigid base 11 and is open at the top.

WVit-hin the tank near the top is a jig screen 12 upon which the material to be separated is placed and through which water passes with a pulsating movement to separate the material according to its specific gravity. The jig screen 12 in the present instance comprises a frame bolted to the walls of the tank 10 and covered with some foraminous material which may be woven wire or perforated sheet metal. The perforated surface of the jig screen is divided, transversely tothe direction of travel of the material, into two parts, let and 133, the part 14 at the receiving end of the screen being substantially horizontal and at a lower level than the adjoining edge of the part 15 which is inclined downwardly and away from the part 14 toward the discharge end of theapparatus. The adjacent sides of the parts 14 andl5 which are stepped are connected by a low wall 16, that makes a shallow pocket of the part 14 within which a bed of refuse collects and is maintained by the Wall 16 to prevent the coal in the material fed to the jig from falling upon the screen and passing therethrough.

Beneath the jig screen 12, as shown in the drawing, or at some other part of the apparatus as found desirable, is a plunger 17 for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water within the tank and forcing said water intermittently through the jig screen and the bed of material thereon. This plunger has two novel characteristics, it is valveless, and it is removably arranged. The plunger comprises a skeleton frame 18 of the size and shape of the interior of the tank 10 and has projecting from two of its opposite sides 19, upstanding ears 20, on the inner side of each of which is fastened a block 21 having an inclined lower surface 22. On the same sides 19 at the lower edges thereof are rails 23, as long as said sides, and projecting inwardly that support a rectangular frame 25 slidable on said rails and which may be withdrawn from the skeleton frame 18 when desired. A perforated diaphragm 24 is mounted in said rectangular frame 25 as shown. Projecting upwardly from the sides of the diaphragm frame 25 that run on the rails 23 are upstanding lugs 26, the upper surfaces of which are inclined at the same angle as the under surfaces of the blocks 21, and when said diaphragm frame 25 is slid into position in the frame 18, these inclined surfaces inter-engage and wedge the diaphragm frame tightly against the rails 23. To prevent the diaphragm frame 25 loosening during the operation of the machine, bolts 27 are inserted through one or more of the lugs 26 into the skeleton frame 18. In order that the diaphragm frame 25 may be'inserted into and removed from the apparatus when desired, and with little or no trouble, an opening 28 is made in one side of the tank 10, the full width of the diaphragm frame, and a closure 29 pro vided therefor which fits the opening watertight and is locked in position by one or more pressure screws 30 each mounted in a link 31 hinged at one end to cars 32 projecting from the tank on one side of the opening 28 and connected by a pin 33 to similar ears 34: also projecting from the tank on the other side of said opening. Upon loosening the screws 30, if more than one is used, and withdrawing the pins 33, the links 31 and screws may be swung downwardly away from the closure 29 and the latter withdrawn. The fastenings 27 that secure the diaphragm frame may then be re.- moved and the diaphragm frame withdrawn. It is to be understood, of course, that the water within the tank will first be withdrawn to a point below the opening 28 and the plunger 17 raised sufficiently high to permit withdrawal of the diaphragm frame through the opening.

I have discovered that a perforated diaphragm, without valves, will produce sufficient pulsation in the water to properly separate the material. This I regard as very valuable, as it enables the operation of the machine to be carried'on without the delays, annoyance and expense, attendant upon valve trouble.

Therefore, I claim this valveless plunger as a distinct feature of the invention. But in respect of the other features of the invention, a valveless plunger is not essential, and therefore in those respects the invention is not so limited, and I have shown a suitable form of valve plunger in Figs. 5 and 6 where the diaphragm frame 25 is provided with a plurality of parallel T-bars 35, in place of the perforated diaphragm 24;, the upper surfaces or tops 36 of the bars lying in the same plane and spaced apart. These bars extend longitudinally entirely across the frame and the spaces between their upper surfaces 36 form slots 37 of equal length which are closed by valves 38 made of angle bars, the corners of which extend into the slots between the T-bars. As thus arranged, upon depressing the plunger 17 water below the same lifts the angle bars or valves 38 which immediately close when the plunger is raised.

Any suitable plunger operating means may be employed, and for illustration, there is shown, fastened to opposite sides of the skeleton frame 18 below the side plates 19, upright bars 39, there being one bar on each side which extends upwardly above the top 1 of the tank 10. Upon the upper end of each of the bars 39 is bolted a bracket l0 which brackets support the ends of a horizontal shaft 41 pivotally connected to the lower ends of two eccentric straps 42, each embracing an eccentric 43 keyed to a driving shaft 4%, journaled in bearings 45 mounted on the top of the body 8 of the apparatus. Rotation of the shaft 4% will, through the connections described, move the plunger vertically which on its upward travel lifts the water above said plunger and causes it to flow bodily toward and through the jig screen and the material thereon and over the overflow board 50. This movement of the water in an upward direction raises the material from the jig screen a greater or lesser degree according to its specific gravity, while the movement of water toward the overflow board tends to carry said material in the same direction. The separated particles settle into place on the downward movement of the plunger, the heavy ones moving more quickly than the lighter ones, and therefore, they move toward or remain on the bottom of the jig screen, the less heavy'above and the coal on top.

Extending transversely of the tank from side to side near the discharge end of the jig screen and above the same is an overflow board 50 that limits the height of water and coal in the tank. lVater and coal after rising to the top of said overflow board are discharged thereover onto an inclined chute 51, and thence into a trough 52. Against the inner side of the overflow board 50 is a gate 4L6 mounted in guides adjustable vertically therein by a threaded rod 47 slidable in bearings 48. On the upper end of the rod 47 is threaded a hand nut 4E9 which on being turned raises and lowers the gate 46.

At the edge of the tank 10 a short distance beyond the gate 46 is a second gate adjustable vertically by a rod 54 in a similar manner as the gate 46. The gate 58 does not extend as high as the gate 46, and over this gate heavier portions of material pass and fall into a still-water chamber 55 on the outside of the tank 10 at the discharge end. The still-water chamber 55 which at its top is the full width of the tank 10 inclines at its lower sides toward the center of the chamber forming a neck 56 through which the waste material in said chamber passes out of the apparatus, say to the boot of a bucket elevator, not shown.

Upon the jig screen sections 14 and 15 the heavy waste material forms a bed the height of which is not constant, but never rises as high as the upper edges of the gate L6 and overflow board 50. On this bed clean coal collects until it rises sufficiently high to be carried by the water over the overflow board on to the inclined chute 51 which is divided, for a purpose to be described, into a number of sections 51 spaced apart all of which discharge into the trough The lower edge of the gate 46 is raised above the jig screen sufliciently high to permit the largest pieces of refuse material passing thereunder, but never as high as the upper edge of the outer gate 53, a bed of refuse is therefore always maintained on the jig screen'in the space 63 between the gate -16 and the gate 53 the height of which bed is governed by the upper edge of the gate 53. The height of the refuse bed on the opposite or inner side of the gate 46 is greater and by its weight assists in forcing the refuse under the gate 46 and over the gate 5 into the still Water chamber 45 as will be eX- plained later.

The chute sections 51 are inclosed on their sides by vertical walls 51 the spaces between said sections being divided by parallel partitions 58 and 60 extending between the walls 51 and of the same height as the overflow board 50. That portion 64 of each space between :the overflow board and the partition 58 is open tothe tank 10 and the top of the still-water chamber 55, said portions together serving as outlets for water passing through the space or gateway 63. Between the partitions 58 and 60 the spaces have each a floor on which water passing through the outlets (A and from the gateway 63 over partitions 58 falls and is carried off through openings 61 in said floors by means of pipes The partitions 60 prevent this water passing into the trough 52 with the good coal, as at times fine particles of waste ma terial are held in suspension therein, and it is not desirable to mix this material with the coaL In the operation of the machine raw coal, that is, good coal and refuse in a mixed condition is fed onto the section 14 of the jig screen 1:? either continuously or intermittently and the plunger 1? put in operation to give the water in the tank a pulsating movement upward through the screen. At each upward pulsation of the water the material on the jig screen is disturbed thereby more or less depending upon'its weight, the heavier portions being the least disturbed and tending at all times to gravitate toward the screen. This tendency of the heavier portions naturally force the light-er ones upward so that all coal contained in the material fed, and which is lighter than the refuse is finally carried to the top of the mass. At the beginning of the operation a. bed of refuse ma terial is first built up on the screen section lithe wall .16 retaining the refuse upon this lower section. lVhen the bed of refuse finally reaches the top of the wall it spreads toward the discharge end over the screen section 15 to the gate The refuse bed continues to rise higher as material is fed into the jig, coal on the top of said bed also rising as the refuse bed rises until it reaches the upper edge of the overflow board 50 whereupon it is carried over said board with the outflowing water onto the chute 51. The waste bed in the space or gateway ('38 rises only to the top of the gate but above the lower edge of the gate 4:6. The refuse bed on the inner side of the gate 46 rises -in definitely, its height being determined by the outflow of refuse through the gateway and over the gate 53, this movement being caused by the pulsating movement of the water, the outflow thereof through the gateway and over the gate and the weight of the material on the inside of the gate. The refuse on the opposite sides-of the gate L6 forms a U-column, the material in one leg being higher than in the other leg tends to force the material up the latter leg to preserve a balance, being assisted by the pulsations and outward flow of the water. The gate 53, however, limits the height of the refuse in said leg and consequently, there is a continued discharge of refuse from the jig. Water pulsates as freely through the refuse foraminous surface of which is divided into two sections by a low vertical wall, one of said sections being in the form of a shallow pocket immediately at the receiving end of the jig screen and the adjoining section of the foraminous surface declining from said wall to its discharge end.

9 In a machine for washing coal and the like, a continuous j ig-screen, the foraminous surface of which is divided into two sections by a transversely upstanding low vertical walh'one of said sections being in the form of a shallow pocket immediately at the receiving end of the screen, and the adjoining portion of the foraminous material extending from said wall to its discharge end.

In an apparatus for washing coal and the like, the combination with a tank into which water is adapted to flow, and means for impartin a pulsatory movement to the water passing through said tank, of a continuous jig screen within said tank, the continuity of the foraminous material of which is interrupted by an upstanding shallow wall intermediate its receiving and delivery ends, said shallow wall forming at the receiving end a low shallow pocket, and the foraminous material extending'to the delivery end of said surface, said tank being undivided whereby the entire surface of the screen is subjected to the same pulsatory movement of the water.

a. In an apparatus for washing ore, coal and the like, the combination with a tank through which water is adapted to flow, a screen in said tank to receive material to be separated, a vertically movable plunger frame, and a plunger carried by and slidably removable from said frame.

5. In an apparatus for washing ore, coal and the like, the combination with a tank through which water is adapted to flow, and a jig screen in said tank upon which material to be separated is deposited, of a plunger for imparting a pulsating movement to the water passing through said tank, said plunger comprising a vertically reciprocating frame and a perforated diaphragm removably carried by said frame and adapted to be withdrawn through an opening in the side of the tank. a

6. In an apparatus for washing ore, coal and the like, the combination with a tank through which water is adapted to flow and having an opening in the side thereof, and a jig screen within said tank, of a vertically reciprocating plunger for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water within said curely to the frame.

7. In an apparatus for washing ore, coal and the like, the combination with a tank through which water is adapted to flow and having an opening in the side thereof, and a jig screen within said tank, of a vertically movable plunger for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water in the tank, said plunger comprising a reciprocating frameprovided with rails on opposite sides, a removable perforated diaphragm carried by a frame supported on said rails and adapted to be withdrawn through an opening in the side of the tank, a closure for said opening, upstanding lugs on the diaphragm having inclined faces, and blocks adapted to be secured to the reciprocating frame provided with cooperating inclined faces to wedge the diaphragm frame tightly within the plunger frame.

8. An apparatus for washing coal and the like, comprisin a tank through which water is adapted to how, means for imparting a pulsatory movement to thewater passing through said tank, a jig screen in said tank, a gateway at the discharge end of said jigscreen, the entrance to said gateway being at a lower level than the exit therefrom, a still-water chamber adjoining said tank into which the heavier portions of the separated materials are discharged from the gateway, and an inclined chute over said gateway and down which the lighter portions of the separated materials are discharged, there being openings in said chute in communication with said gateway through which water is adapted to pass, and means for preventing the water passing through said opening from mixing with the water and finer materials passing down said inclined chute.

9. In an apparatus for washing coal and the like, comprising a tank through which water is adapted to flow, means for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water passing through said tank, a jig-screen in said tank, a gateway over the discharge end of said j ig-screen, a gate at the entrance to said gateway, a second gate at the exit of said gateway, a chamber adjoining the tank into which the heavier portions of the separated material are discharged from said-gateway, a chute over said gateway and down which the lighter materials are adapted to pass from over said first gate, said inclined chute having openings above said gateway through which water is adapted to pass, and compartments adjacent said openings for catching the water passing through the openings and to prevent the same from mixing with the water flowing down the chute.

10. An apparatus for washing coal and the like, comprising a tank through which water is adapted to flow, means for imparting a pulsatory movement to the water passing through said tank, a jig screen in said tank, a gateway over the discharge end of said jig screen, the entrance to said gateway being at a lower level than the exit therefrom, a chute over said gateway down which the lighter portions of the separated materials are discharged, said chute having openings through which water from said gateway is adapted to flow, compartments adjacent said openings to receive the water passing through said openings, and pipes in the floor of said compartments for conducting the water from said compartments.

11. In an apparatus for washing ore, coal and the like, a tank through which the water is adapted to flow, a stationary continuous jig screen the foraminous surface of which is divided into two sections by a low vertical wall, one of said sections being in the form of a shallow pocket immediately at the receiving end of the jig screen, and the adjoining section of the foraminous surface declining from said wall to its discharge end, and a plunger extending throughout the cross-sectional area of the tank and adapted to impart a vertical movement to the water in the tank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, G. R. DELAMATER. \Vitnesses S. ELLA MA'rsoN, HAROLD R. HANSON. 

